Reynold Levy, head of Lincoln Center, has written a new fund-raising primer.

Alexis C. Glenn/UPI/ Landov

Michelle Obama is expected to make volunteerism a top priority in the White House.

Shan Gordon, for The Chronicle

Christa Velasquez, of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, oversees efforts to meld investments and grant-making goals.

From the issue dated November 27, 2008 About Gifts and Giving MELDING CHARITABLE PRIORITIES AND ASSET PORTFOLIOS is the goal of a growing number of foundations that see mission-related investments as a logical complement to their grant making. SOME COLLEGE AND FOUNDATION ENDOWMENTS that have lost significant value in the current economic downturn are considering legal action against their investment managers. THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION announced that it would shift its education grant making away from creating small high schools and toward improving teaching standards and preparing students for success in college. "ED IN 08," a foundation-financed campaign to insert the issue of education into the presidential race, will wind down next year, having failed to make improving the schools a top priority of either candidate. NONPROFIT LEADERS debated how much data foundations should be required to provide about their giving that aids minorities, as part of the annual meeting of the Philanthropy Roundtable TWO UNIVERSITIES have between them received three gifts of $100-million or more. TWO INSTITUTIONS have received gifts of $50-million apiece, plus other new big gifts awarded to nonprofit organizations. THE FACE OF PHILANTHROPY: Samaritan's Feet provides shoes and other services to needy people around the world. RECENT GRANTS by foundations, corporations, and other grant makers. About Fund Raising REYNOLD LEVY, president of New York's Lincoln Center, loves asking people for money for a good cause, but his new book on fund raising was inspired by the many others who find it distasteful. WEALTHY DONORS who stop giving to a charity often do so because they have begun to feel disconnected from the group, a new survey suggests. HOLIDAY GIVING is expected to remain strong this year, and perhaps increase, even though people are likely to spend less on presents, two new surveys indicate. THE NUMBER OF MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR GIFTS is likely to slow as the stock market continues to sink, a new report suggests. UPDATE ON CAMPAIGNS for endowments, capital improvements, and other needs. INTEREST RATES for planned gifts, issued by the Internal Revenue Service. About Managing Nonprofit Groups PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA has not lacked for ideas floated by nonprofit leaders for expanding national service and enlisting charities in the effort to solve social problems. INTERNATIONAL AID GROUPS are hoping that, once he is in the White House, Barack Obama will work to reverse antiterrorism programs that affect charities overseas. CHARITY LEADERS gathered at a conference in New York to consider the implications of the economic crisis were told that many thousands of nonprofit groups would probably fail in the next few years. THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION held an unprecedented public meeting of its Board of Regents, evidence of its intention to be more open in the wake of recent scandals. THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE has made its annual round of changes in tax regulations affecting charitable donations, adjusting the rules for inflation (Tax Watch). A NONPROFIT COALITION has put forward a set of priorities for the incoming administration and Congress that calls for higher taxes (Tax Watch). TWO INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE OFFICIALS told participants at Independent Sector's annual meeting that the agency intends to continue to make sure charities abide by federal law (Tax Watch). About Technology AN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP is harnessing the Internet to allow people to come together and raise money to set up village banks in developing countries. THE JOHN S. AND JAMES L. KNIGHT FOUNDATION has parlayed its work helping grantees with their communications into a new Web site that charities can use to improve their news releases. About Philanthropy Careers SAN FRANCISCO is considering legislation that would limit the pay of chief executives of charities that receive city funds. FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, a Christian advocacy group, has eliminated 202 staff positions, citing declines in donations resulting from the economic downturn. AS A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, Barbara Chow spent a lot of time trying to spend the least money for the greatest social gain, a skill that will help her as education director of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (New on the Job). Also in This Issue OPINION: Jeff Trexler says the Wall Street collapse should prompt nonprofit leaders to rethink, not turn away from, social enterprise; Shirley Sagawa and Deborah Jospin argue that "social capital" will get charities through this period when other forms of capital are scarce; and Pablo Eisenberg chastises foundations for not giving more money to charities in the face of the economic crisis. NEW BOOKS: How to use statistics to help reap bigger benefits in fund-raising appeals, an examination of the traits that attract supporters to a charity, and a handbook on nonprofit audits. PEOPLE: Appointments and promotions in the nonprofit world. AWARDS: Honors for people and organizations in philanthropy.